Special Containment Procedures: Instances of SCP-XXXX are to be placed within a medium aquarium filled with filtered, chlorine-free fresh water. The lid of the aquarium must be secured to the aquarium at all times, with the lone exception of feeding time. Once a week, one raw cow brain per instance of SCP-XXXX is to be placed within the aquarium. All personnel that interact with instances SCP-XXXX or the aquarium housing must be informed of the mind influencing effects of SCP-XXXX.

SCP-XXXX-1 is to be housed in a humanoid containment cell. SCP-XXXX-1 is to be provided reading material and exercise equipment as per request. Should SCP-XXXX-1 misbehave, these privileges are to be revoked. In addition to normal feeding routines, SCP-XXXX-1 is to be provided one cooked cow brain per week. SCP-XXXX-1's diet is to contain 30% less sodium than standard meals.

All personnel assigned to SCP-XXXX and SCP-XXXX-1 are to report for regular psychological evaluations. Personnel assigned to SCP-XXXX are to cycle out once every four weeks

Update 11/15/20██: All personnel assigned to work near SCP-XXXX and SCP-XXXX-1 must have level 2 security or below. Current staff working in proximity to SCP-XXXX and SCP-XXXX-1 are to be demoted to level 2 security clearance and be restricted to files regarding SCP-XXXX.

Description: There are currently six five instances of SCP-XXXX in containment. SCP-XXXX is a cephalopod measuring up to five centimeters in diameter. Four, evenly-spread tentacles extend from its body. Each tentacle is up to ten centimeters in length, and contains a natural sedative and an anesthetic. The head of SCP-XXXX lacks eyes, and resembles the appearance of the human brain. SCP-XXXX is covered in a film that retains hydration and absorbs water from the surrounding air, allowing it to survive outside of water for long periods of time.

SCP-XXXX has evidenced the ability to propel itself through the air in a manner similar to how it moves through water. SCP-XXXX has been found to have weak telepathic and psychokinetic abilities, as well as the ability to implant suggestions into the human mind. SCP-XXXX have been recorded urging test subjects to open the lid of the aquarium, to bring more food, or to break the aquarium. The telepathic suggestions of SCP-XXXX only occur until the target of the suggestions has been made aware of the telepathic threat, at which point all attempts cease.

The diet of SCP-XXXX consists entirely of mammalian brain tissue. It obtains this food by searching out mammalian prey and attaching to the back of its prey's skull. The anesthetics in SCP-XXXX's tentacles render the victim unaware of SCP-XXXX's intrusion. Once attached firmly to the victim's skull, SCP-XXXX will proceed to bore a hole through its victim's skull in order to access the brain. In non humanoid victims, SCP-XXXX will then administer the sedative stored within its body, rendering its prey unconscious. Over the course of approximately four hours, SCP-XXXX will consume its victim's brain entirely.

In humanoid victims, SCP-XXXX takes on a parasitic role. Instead of sedating and then killing the prey, SCP-XXXX instead remains passive upon attaching itself to a human-level intelligence host. The host will henceforth be referred to as SCP-XXXX-1. SCP-XXXX-1 instances must consume brain matter in addition to a normal diet in order to preserve psychological and neurological health. Should SCP-XXXX-1 fail to consume an appropriate amount of brain matter, SCP-XXXX will consume a portion of SCP-XXXX-1's brain before disengaging. The damage done in this process is rarely lethal, but always sends the host into a vegetative state.

There is currently one instance of SCP-XXXX-1 in containment. SCP XXXX-1 was previously known as Task Force Operative █████ █████, a Caucasian male of 1.8 meters in height and 72.5 kilograms in weight. SCP-XXXX-1's behavior changed shortly after becoming infested by an instance of SCP-XXXX. Changes to SCP-XXXX-1's behavior include a newly developed dislike for sodium and a desire to spend time reading when such a desire was not shown before infestation. Desired reading material almost always consists of educational or scientific material.

Anomalous effects have also been observed. SCP-XXXX-1 has shown telepathic abilities, although it does not appear to realize when it is using these abilities. SCP-XXXX-1 has also shown that it can subconsciously influence the decisions of others, provided that the target is not aware of the interference. Additionally, SCP-XXXX-1 has displayed the ability to read and write in Spanish and Portuguese, two languages that it did not know before infestation. SCP-XXXX-1's abilities appear to decrease in potency and range when it consumes large amounts of salt.

All attempts to safely remove SCP-XXXX from SCP-XXXX-1 have proved unsuccessful.

SCP-XXXX-1: Could be better, but it could be worse. It'd be nice to go outside, but I know that's out of the picture. No contact with the outside world and all.

Doctor Coolidge: Do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions to determine the influence that SCP-XXXX has had on you?

SCP-XXXX-1: Ask away.

Doctor Coolidge: Let's start with the basics. Please state your name and previous position.

SCP-XXXX-1: Alright then. My name's █████ █████, and I used to be a Task Force Operative in Mobile Task Force Mu-13, the Ghostbusters.

Doctor Coolidge: What was the series of events leading up to your current condition?

SCP-XXXX-1: Well, we got reports of floating objects and ghostly voices, right? The sort of thing that people often call in when they're trying to get on television. Except then they said that their mother was bleeding from the back of her head and babbling nonsense. That's about when the Foundation intercepted the call and sent us in. For a while it seemed like everything was fine: just another crazy family looking for fame. Except for the fact that the old lady was comatose in bed. In any case, to cut a long story short we found the brain octopi in the creek behind their house and brought them in. I didn't even realize I was compromised until someone else pointed it out. Then, well, you know the rest.

Doctor Coolidge: Indeed I do. Could you describe the changes you have experienced since the attachment of the anomalous entity?

SCP-XXXX-1: I've started needing to eat brains once a week, but you already know that. Sometimes I get flashes of insight on things that I didn't know before. Oh, and I've been getting the urge to read more.

Doctor Coolidge: Could you elaborate on what you've been wanting to read?

SCP-XXXX-1: Nonfiction. School and college textbooks. Even the dictionary at one point. Things like that. Sometimes I feel like I should re-read things I've already read before.

Doctor Coolidge: I see. One last question for today. If I told you we could remove the anomalous entity, how would you feel?

SCP-XXXX-1: That'd be amazing. It would mean that I could finally go outside, get back to finding ghosts.

SCP-XXXX-1: My name is █████ █████, and I was an operative in MTF Mu-13, the Ghostbusters.

Doctor Coolidge: Describe the changes that you have experienced since SCP-XXXX has attached itself to you.

SCP-XXXX-1: I need to have brains in my diet or I'll turn into a vegetable, I can't eat salt or the octopus in the back of my head causes me to puke, and I occasionally hear things that haven't been said.

Doctor Coolidge: Could you elaborate?

SCP-XXXX-1: Well, not really hear. It doesn't even register to my ears. Like when the guards pass outside my cell, sometimes I catch snippets of sentences that they never said. Sometimes I just know things that I didn't before. Then there's the damn octopus. I think it's trying to talk to me.

Doctor Coolidge: Why do you think that?

SCP-XXXX-1: I can tell when it's thinking, and sometimes thoughts just pop up in my head. Um. I think it wants out. Of the facility.

Doctor Coolidge: Interesting. How have things been progressing with your own research?

SCP-XXXX-1: Research? Oh. You mean the books. I've read just about everything you've given me, and it's starting to get a little boring. Could you let me read some material on anomalous objects?

Doctor Coolidge: I… will take it into consideration.

SCP-XXXX-1 flinches.

Doctor Coolidge: █████? Are you okay?

SCP-XXXX-1: Yeah, fine. Just a headache. (SCP-XXXX-1 flinches again, shaking its head.) I think I'd like to go lie down for a while.

Doctor Coolidge: In that case, one last question before you can return to your containment cell. If we could remove the anomalous entity, how would you feel?

SCP-XXXX-1: It'd be kinda weird. I've gotten used to having it there, in the back of my mind. I would be able to adjust, though.

Doctor Coolidge: Thank you, that is all.

<End Log>

Notes: SCP-XXXX-1 has repeatedly requested reading material pertaining to other anomalous objects. Response to these requests has been postponed indefinitely.

Addendum XXXX-3 11/15/20██: On 11/13/20██, SCP-XXXX-1 began to wail as if in grieving. When questioned on its behavior, SCP-XXXX-1 refused to answer, instead retreating to a corner of its cell. SCP-XXXX-1 refused to eat for the rest of the day. SCP-XXXX-1 returned to normal, albeit subdued, behavior the following day.

On the same day, a single instance of SCP-XXXX was found dead in the containment aquarium. The other five instances had flattened themselves against the bottom of the aquarium in a circle around the deceased instance. The dead SCP-XXXX was removed from the tank and determined to have died of natural causes.

Dissection of SCP-XXXX has shown that it has mostly normal cephalopod biology, most similar to Octopus vulgaris1. SCP-XXXX has a vestigial visual cortex, indicating that at one point in evolutionary history the species had eyes. The most notable difference from mundane octopi is that the brain is far more developed, to a point comparable to or greater than the human brain.

SCP-XXXX-1: By removing the Three from the back of my head, right? What if that kills me? What if I don't want it removed? I have learned so many things, gained a purpose that transcends the Foundation!

Doctor Coolidge: Please sit down, █████.

SCP-XXXX-1(Shouting): You do not command us, ████████ ████████ Coolidge!

SCP-XXXX-1 takes a deep breath, then lowers itself back into its seat.

SCP-XXXX-1: I'm sorry. It's just… hard. Once you get a glimpse of omniscience… it's hard to go back.

Doctor Coolidge: Wh- omniscience? True omniscience?

SCP-XXXX-1: No, just… close. Maybe. They tell me things, and then they're gone instants later. It's frustrating. I get to see so many places, so many things, but I can never see them for myself. I feel imprisoned.

Doctor Coolidge: Do you hate the Foundation? For imprisoning you?

There are several seconds of silence.

SCP-XXXX-1: Y- No. Maybe. I… I don't know.

Doctor Coolidge: Is there anything I can do for you to make this easier for you? More comfortable?

SCP-XXXX-1: New people are… loud. And I don't want to take anything else. I've already taken too much.

At this point, SCP-XXXX-1 flinches, seemingly without provocation.

Doctor Coolidge: █████? Are you okay?

SCP-XXXX-1: I… I'd like to go back to my cell now. They're- Three isn't happy. None of them are.

Doctor Coolidge: Who are they?

SCP-XXXX-1: Noone. I can't. I can't. I need to go to my cell. I need them to stop!

SCP-XXXX-1 collapses into convulsions at this point. Doctor Coolidge calls for medical assistance

<End Log>

Closing observations: SCP-XXXX-1 is clearly not mentally stable. Interaction with SCP-XXXX-1 should be restricted to avoid further damage to its emotional state. Change in containment procedures advised.

SCP-XXXX-1 has been placed under higher surveillance. All staff that interact with SCP-XXXX-1 or SCP-XXXX are to immediately report for psychological evaluation. SCP-XXXX-1 has refused to speak. Its behavior has reduced solely to eating and sleeping.

Addendum XXXX-4 11/20/20██: At 4:00 A.M., SCP-XXXX-1 ceased its subdued behavior and stood stiffly in the center of its room, looking directly at the surveillance camera. For one hour, SCP-XXXX-1 repeated the sentence 'We would like to speak to Doctor Coolidge.' at a regular interval of thirty seconds. SCP-XXXX-1 refused to respond to any stimulus caused by personnel until Doctor Coolidge entered its containment chamber.

Doctor Coolidge conversed with SCP-XXXX-1 for thirty minutes, after which SCP-XXXX-1 refused to speak further. A transcript of the video log is included below.

SCP-XXXX-1: The host is currently dormant. Dreaming. His psyche is inactive. We have assumed control for the time being. We wish to exchange information.

Doctor Coolidge: Exchange? I don't think you understand-

SCP-XXXX-1: We have voted, and decided that taking from your minds is both amoral and ineffective. Despite your species' tendencies to (SCP-XXXX-1 shudders) falsify, you are nearly our intellectual equals. As such, we desire to trade information.

Doctor Coolidge: I can't-

SCP-XXXX-1 frowns.

SCP-XXXX-1: We do not wish to know of your Foundation, not as of yet. We desire to know more of humans as a species. Your behaviors. We have asked the host, yet he has not provided sufficient answers.

Doctor Coolidge: I… suppose I could answer your questions. Provided that you keep your word and stay out of our minds, I'll tell you about humans. Ask away.

SCP-XXXX-1: For our first question, we would like to ask how humans survive. Your species is isolated, alone. You rely upon vibrations in the air to communicate. How have you not gone insane?

Doctor Coolidge: Humans never evolved telepathic communication on a large scale. It actually has the opposite effect of what you seem to think; telepaths go mad.

SCP-XXXX-1: Your minds are so fragile as to collapse when you have true contact with one another. That is tragic.

Doctor Coolidge: We manage. What about your species? How do you survive with no privacy?

SCP-XXXX-1: We are as a council, all opinions taken in and considered carefully before a decision is reached. This is how we are, and how we have always been. You say that your species evolved. This one wishes to know what entity shaped your species.

SCP-XXXX-1: The Archive designed us as its seekers, to gather information. We are the shield against the Intruder's assault. All we find is returned to the Archive, to be remembered.

Doctor Coolidge: That's… interesting. So what is this 'Archive'?

SCP-XXXX-1: We have answered your question, Doctor Coolidge. We ask this question. We would like to know why you fabricate information.

Doctor Coolidge: I'm not sure I understand.

SCP-XXXX-1: Fabrication of fact. Alteration of truth. According to our host, you call it lying.

Doctor Coolidge: Oh, lying. We use lies to keep people from finding the Foundation, to keep the peace and prevent mass panic.

SCP-XXXX-1: But it is an alteration of information, a corruption of fact. Your whole species does it with disturbing regularity. Why?

Doctor Coolidge: You mean the whole human race? A variety of reasons, really. Some people lie to protect themselves, some lie to keep others from discovering their secrets, and some lie to themselves because they won't admit the truth.

SCP-XXXX-1: Your species is truly deluded. Hiding truths from themselves. It is no wonder your species does not commune properly, with how much they dilute fact.

Doctor Coolidge: You mean to say that you don't lie? Ever?

SCP-XXXX-1 grows visibly agitated

SCP-XXXX-1: How dare you insinuate that we sink to such lows, you miserable ape!

SCP-XXXX-1 takes a deep breath before continuing.

SCP-XXXX-1: We apologize. That was… undignified. No. We do not lie. We cannot. There are no secrets among us that would cause discord. You may ask another question.

Doctor Coolidge: Oh… Kay. Well, how about telling me about the Archive? What is it?

SCP-XXXX-1: …The Archive does not like us to discuss it with humans. Ask a different question.

Doctor Coolidge: Then what about the Invader?

SCP-XXXX-1: [Infohazard redacted].

Doctor Coolidge: Forgive me for asking again so soon, but how are you going to stop it?

SCP-XXXX-1: We can't. We try to ensure that someone remembers the lost.

Doctor Coolidge: But you described yourself as a shield. What kind of shield can't stop what it's designed to defend against?

SCP-XXXX-1 refuses to meet Doctor Coolidge's gaze.

SCP-XXXX-1: An ineffective one.

<End Log>

All personnel within earshot of SCP-XXXX-1 during Incident XXXX-1 were swiftly administered amnestic treatment regarding infohazardous material. SCP-XXXX-1 returned to normal behavior several hours later. The SCP-XXXX instance residing within SCP-XXXX-1's skull has refused to speak to any personnel, with SCP-XXXX-1 claiming that it had fallen silent. Shortly after Incident XXXX-1, all instances of SCP-XXXX ceased all activity beyond eating and sleeping.

Foundation resources are currently directed towards discovering if the SCP-XXXX instances are in contact with outside entities. Restricted access to SCP-XXXX and SCP-XXXX-1 is still in place.